The present invention is directed to an elastomeric sleeve tightly fitted on a one-way valve body. The sleeve is secured so that it is in sealed contact with the surface of the valve body. Flow is conducted through the valve body via a first and a second outlet passageways with the passageways arranged in spaced apart relation so that there is no direct flow between them. The passageways extend through the valve body each opening through the outside surface of the valve body to the inside surface of the sleeve. With pressurized flow of a fluid through the valve body, the fluid flows first through one of the passageways into a space between the outside surface of the valve body and the inside surface of the sleeve and then into the other passageway and out of the valve body. The elastomeric sleeve expands to permit flow out of the valve body and, when the outward flow is completed, rebounds into contact with the surface of the valve body preventing any return flow.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,810, a valve assembly, known as the ReSeal Valve, includes a one-way valve body laterally enclosed within an elastomeric sheath or sleeve. The sleeve fits tightly about the valve body and provides a closure for a first outlet passageway and a second outlet passageway not directly connected to one another. The elastomeric sleeve is sealed to the outside surface of the valve body by O-rings, adhesives, or by thermally or chemically bonding the sleeve to the valve body. The seal is required to assure that flow into an inlet end of the valve body is directed between the outside surface of the valve body and the inside surface of the elastomeric sleeve and then flows through a passageway to the valve body outlet. If the sleeve is free at one or both ends, the fluid being dispensed could escape and contaminants could enter into the passageways in the valve and eventually into a container holding the fluid to be dispensed through the one-way valve. Accordingly, providing a positive seal between the outside surface of the valve body and the elastomeric sleeve is a prerequisite to assure that the contents of the container are not contaminated during or following use of the one-way valve.
While the ReSeal Valve has proven to be effective, the use of separate O-rings seals or other means for maintaining a seal between the elastomeric sleeve and the valve body has affected the cost of the sleeve and O-rings, and of the procedure in assembling the sleeve on the valve body.